


A Mother's Gaze

by merry_amelie



Series: Academic Arcadia [109]
Category: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Genre: Alternate Reality, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-08-21
Updated: 2007-08-21
Packaged: 2018-02-16 14:12:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2272752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merry_amelie/pseuds/merry_amelie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jo's perspective on her boys.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Mother's Gaze

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback: Is treasured at merryamelie@aol.com (or leave a comment).
> 
> Disclaimer: Mr. Lucas owns everything Star Wars. I'm not making any money.
> 
> For  
> My beta team: Nerowill, Emila-Wan, Carol, and Padawan Sue  
> Mali Wane for posting  
> My former betas: Alex and Ula

Jo smiled into her cappuccino as she looked over at Ian and Quinn. They were at Brea's, the boys' favorite Italian restaurant in Alder Run, relaxing after an excellent dinner.

Quinn's arm was wrapped around Ian, the epitome of casual possessiveness. Love and happiness lit his face as his wedding band gleamed in the candlelight. She found herself staring, captivated by Quinn's self-assurance.

Gone were the days when he wouldn't even touch Ian in front of her. Game nights where the 'best friends' vibe was in full force; parties where hugs were saved for their relatives.

All the restraint they'd shown through their early years together had left her mother's heart aching for them. She couldn't imagine not reaching for Keith's hand during the course of a single evening, let alone for years.

Ever since their wedding, they'd acted like the spouses they were, at least in front of her side of the family. She'd never forget their intertwined fingers at the reception as they reminisced about their first date at Roma. Thank goodness Aunt Jane had captured it on film.

And now they had that ease in public, as well as with her family. As she looked at them leaning into each other, she saw the same sparkle in their eyes she'd seen in Monty and Kathy's, undimmed in the midst of strangers.

Her smile intensified when she gazed at her son. He was positively basking in Quinn's embrace. Seeing him like this was quite a gift after all those years he'd been alone, with the rest of the family paired off around him.

Even when he'd finally met Quinn, his open face had been shuttered all too often under the weight of their secret. She had no doubt that without Ian's influence, they'd still be closeted behind their two bachelor doors in Landowe.

Once Ian had found love, he'd fought against the limitations which came with it from the first. She would never forget his brave words, which no mother was ever truly prepared to hear: "Quinn Masterson and I are in love with each other."

She'd never been more proud of him. He had put his heart on the line and risked her rejection, all to have truth between them. His quiet courage made him a hero in her eyes.

And what he'd done for Quinn was truly astonishing, steadily coaxing his reluctant lover out of the shadows. The confident young man embracing her son now was light-years away from the reserved fellow she'd first met so long ago.

She had even seen Quinn take Ian's hand when the Fourth of July fireworks had started after their picnic, although his parents were just a few feet away. In the dim light, she hadn't been able to see their reaction, but knew it couldn't be the pride she'd felt.

She had always been proud of her son, and her respect had only intensified with his honesty about his life and love.

Keith's arm tightened around her while she finished her cappuccino, and as she looked up at him, her breath caught when she saw the same expression on his face she'd seen on Quinn's.

And the love and happiness she saw this time were all for her.


End file.
